Nurse Care ManagerSearching for a career where you can make a difference?
The Oklahoma Healthcare Authority is hiring for a Registered Nurse who wants to positively impact patient lives through managed care and advocacy.
The ideal candidate will be a clinical specialist, planning and coordinating Care Management for our members, ensuring necessary access to providers and medical services.
This position allows you to work with SoonerCare members, providers, advocacy groups, legislative representatives, other state agencies, and
staff to facilitate Care Management for our members and document their care management needs.

Qualifications include:• Current/valid license as a Registered Nurse in Oklahoma AND
• Minimum of Two Years Full-Time Professional Clinical Experience
• One Year in an Acute Care Setting

Lindsay Stringer, a full-time labor and delivery nurse at St. Anthony Hospital, is also a volunteer sexual assault nurse examiner for Oklahoma City YWCA.

If you had told Lindsay Stringer in college she would not only be a labor and delivery nurse, but that she would also be part of a team that saved the lives of women who had experienced the depths of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, she would have said you were crazy.
Today, that’s exactly the description of the 34-year-old’s professional life.
But, that’s certainly not how Stringer started out, she said. Growing up in Edmond, Stringer graduated from Edmond Memorial High School, moving on to Oklahoma State University. There, she earned a bachelor of arts degree in education. She moved to Seattle, teaching there for three years.
After moving back to Oklahoma City, the young teacher worked as a substitute for a time – but something was just missing, Stringer said.
“I just knew that as much as I loved art and I had wanted to be a teacher, there was more I could, more I knew I could achieve,” she said. “I realized that nursing was where my heart was, so I started nursing school.”
Stringer graduated in 2014 from Oklahoma City University’s Kramer School of Nursing. While there, she started working in St. Anthony Hospital’s labor and delivery department.
“It just turned out to be a great fit for me – I still work there full-time,” she said.
It was through her job Stringer first learned about something that would change both her life and the lives of countless others.
“One of the charge nurses at St. Anthony’s has been a SANE nurse for a long time – she told me what it was all about, how much the program did for people,” Stringer said. “I also had a friend who worked for the Y(WCA) and a couple of friends who are advocates.”
That SANE nurse was actually a sexual assault nurse examiner, a volunteer with Oklahoma City YWCA and part of a program – in conjunction with DVNE, or domestic violence nurse examiners – that provide care to sexual assault victims and women involved in, and trying to escape from, domestic violence situations.
SANE and DVNE volunteers not only care for patients’ physical injuries – they are there to provide a sounding board for the emotional trauma they’ve experienced. While conducting a physical examination, nurse examiners collect forensic evidence for possible criminal action against the patient’s attacker and, most importantly, they listen, Stringer said.
“Each case is different – this is life-changing for this person, and you are there to make sure not only their physical needs are met, but also so they know they are not alone,” she said. “I knew as soon as I took the classes, this was something I was meant to do.”
Volunteers like Stringer are required to attend training and then take eight-hour on-call shifts. Sexual assault victims wait for nurse examiners in a private area and an advocate is also on hand at the time of the examination.
“We make a difference because we are there – obviously, we are there to take care of the physical examination, to make sure the victims receive the best possible medical treatment, but there is so much more to it,” said Amanda Kemp, YWCA OKC director of forensic examinations. “There are the forensic aspects, the importance to preserve evidence and the emotional care for victims who can feel victimized again if an exam isn’t conducted properly.”
Nurse examiners can face an emotional tightrope in dealing with victims. Some want justice, while others do not want to face everything entailed in filing a police report relating to sexual and violent assault. Most importantly, they many times need support in a climate that might – perhaps, even subtly – blame the victim for the incident; even with family and friends, there are often feelings of shame that can lead those victimized down an even darker path, Kemp said.
“So many come forward and nobody believes them – how good a forensic nurse would I be if I didn’t believe them and didn’t collect as much evidence and information as possible, whether they want to report or they’re a case of non-report,” she said. “There are also so many who blame themselves because maybe they were drinking, perhaps there was a consensual situation that led somewhere else.
“Sexual assault is never a natural consequence – no one deserves to be sexually assaulted,” the forensic exam director said.
Stringer and her fellow nurse examiners have a unique ability – not only to take on a second position as a volunteer, but also one that can be both physically and emotionally draining at times. And, those nurses are needed – Kemp said YWCA’s SANE and DVNEs conduct about 425 to 475 examinations a year.
While that number is staggering, what is more alarming are the numbers of women who never receive any kind of examination or treatment, women who are afraid or embarrassed and never report an incident at all.
“I think we should be doing thousands of exams,” Kemp said. “About 90 percent of college students assaulted don’t report for a variety of reasons, and that’s frustrating and frightening.”
YWCA officials hope nurse examiners like Stringer will turn that tide. Both sexual assault and domestic violence nurse examiners work to empower victims, letting them know that no matter the circumstances of their assault, they are not to blame – and they are not alone.
“Sexual assault is a community issue that moves far beyond victims, their families and the programs that are trying to help them,” Kemp said.
For Stringer, giving up the time to work as a SANE is as much a gift to her as a service to those she is helping, she said.
“It is an incredible experience, it’s something that you can’t really describe until you’ve been a part of it,” Stringer said. “Each shift is something new, it is something that means so much to each person – and it’s an honor to be a part of it.”

Village on the Park is hiring Two ACMA’s for Double Weekends 7am to 11pm,Part time ACMA for 11pm-7am & Full time CNA for 11pm-7am to join our AMAZING Family.Apply in person at 1515 Kingsridge Dr., OKC 73170. Call Tammie, Director of Resident Care at 405-692-8700,or Email resume to tbohanan@rcmseniorliving.com

It is an exciting time to be a nurse and Northwestern Oklahoma State University is making a difference in the lives of nurses and patients alike. Northwestern’s Nursing Graduates are in demand! Northwestern offers three exciting Nursing programs to help meet the need for BSN-prepared Registered Nurses and APRN – Family Nurse Practitioners throughout the state and nation.
Graduates of the traditional on-campus BSN program are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam after program completion. Students have a choice of attending classes on the Alva, Enid, and Woodward campuses as well as at the University Center in Ponca City. State of the art simulation labs and a wide variety of experiences in hospitals, clinics, schools, other health agencies throughout the northwest Oklahoma region as well as at Vance Air Force Base assure students receive a well-rounded education experience. Students begin their nursing courses after completing two years of general education and program pre-requisite courses. A low student-to-faculty ratio allows for personalized experiences allowing every student to optimize their learning and be successful.
For RNs with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing, Northwestern offers an affordable Online RN-to-BSN program designed for working RNs. With no traditional clinical hours required, the BSN may be earned in 12 months, once all general education requirements have been met. Students are challenged to build upon their current knowledge and develop new skills, experiences, and insight to strengthen their nursing practice.
The new BSN-to-DNP program offers students the opportunity to become family nurse practitioners with an emphasis on rural health needs. Graduates of this program are eligible to take the national certification exam and pursue licensure as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. In this hybrid program, the students experience a variety of course and clinical experiences promoting professional growth and practice. This program saves the student time and expense by advancing directly to the nationally desired Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
The Nursing Faculty at Northwestern are experts in their field and dedicated to your success. The Northwestern Nursing programs have received national recognition for affordability, accessibility, quality, and outcomes annually since 2014 in a variety of online sources. Northwestern Oklahoma State University also is recognized as #1 in Oklahoma and #16 nationally among all public schools for its Low Student Loan Debt by The Student Loan Report. Now is the time to learn how Northwestern Nursing can help meet your professional goals. We look forward to hearing from YOU!
Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/northwesternnursing/ and online at http://www.nwosu.edu/school-of-professional-studies/nursing

The Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) Foundation announces the establishment of the Jim & Judy Archer and Ed & Eva Pope Nursing Scholarship, a generous endowment donated by two families with deep ties to OCCC’s nursing program and a desire to honor the life of Jim Archer.
The scholarship was established by Mrs. Archer and her four daughters when Mr. Archer passed away in November. Three of the four daughters, Dr. Robin McMurry, Professor Kay Wetmore and Professor Cindy Milam, are nursing faculty at OCCC, and the fourth, Chris Eskew, is a librarian at a Yukon elementary school.
There are eight nurses in the Archer family, and four of them started their training at OCCC. Among the eight nurses, two master’s degrees, a PhD and one doctor of nursing practice degree have been earned. Their specialties include labor and delivery, education, pediatrics, surgery, intensive care, emergency medicine, oncology, community health and adult and pediatric sexual assault forensic nursing. Eskew, the librarian, also earned her master’s degree.
The largest contribution to the scholarship thus far comes from close, lifelong friends of the Archer family, hence the second family name mentioned in the name of the scholarship – Ed and Eva Pope. The Archer and Pope families have countless memories together from church and community activities to family vacations. Mr. Pope and Mr. Archer shared many interests, especially their faith and love of family.
“My dad and Ed Pope were foundational men,” says Mr. Archer’s daughter and Professor of Nursing Dr. Robin McMurry. “It’s what they did. They were men you could count on that always showed up and did the right thing. This scholarship is a perfect tribute to these two families and the impact that they made on countless number of people.
The Popes had established a trust with their life’s earnings, and to honor their parents and the great friendship of the two families, a significant gift was made to the Archer scholarship by daughters Rebecca Rose and Maria Bonner.
“It is with sincere thanks that we honor these families who have invested in the future of our students training for the greatest helping profession,” says OCCC President Jerry Steward. “This endowed scholarship will forever support our students and forever honor these families.”
President Steward honored the Archer and Pope families at the OCCC Board of Regents meeting Monday, Jan. 22, 2017.
Nursing students now benefit from the endowed scholarship, currently valued at more than $111,000. To learn more about the Jim & Judy Archer and Ed & Eva Pope Nursing Scholarship, or other ways to give to the OCCC Foundation, visit www.occc.edu/foundation/ or call the OCCC Foundation at 405-682-7591.
OCCC enrolls more than 20,000 students annually. The college is currently the largest adult basic education provider in the state. OCCC offers a full range of associate degree programs that prepare students to transfer to baccalaureate institutions while other degree and certificate programs prepare students for immediate employment. At OCCC, students receive a quality education with small class sizes, dedicated professors and leadership opportunities. Students can choose from more than 60 major fields of study and participate in any of the 40+ clubs and organizations. For more information about OCCC, visit www.occc.edu.

Compassion Home Care, Inc.· Full-Time RN Field for Spiro, OK ~ $1,000 SIGN ON BONUS ~ Very Competitive Salary & Benefits ~ Company Car· Full-Time RN Field for Stigler, OK ~ $1,000 SIGN ON BONUS ~ Very Competitive Salary & Benefits ~ Company Car· Full-Time LPN Field for Spiro, OK ~ $500 SIGN ON BONUS ~ Very Competitive Salary & BenefitsContact Stephanie Bryant, HR Director or Shannon Basden, RN Clinical Director for more information at 918-967-1001.Resumes can be submitted to steph@sansbois.com and applications can be picked up at the Stigler and Spiro offices.www.compassionhomecareinc.com

The following statement is attributable to Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the American Nurses Association (ANA), in response to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement of the formation of a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division.
“The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements states that a nurse has a duty to care. It also states a nurse is justified in refusing to participate in a particular decision or action that is morally objectionable, so long as it is a conscience-based objection and not one based on personal preference, prejudice, bias, convenience, or arbitrariness. Nurses are obliged to provide for patient safety, to avoid patient abandonment, and to withdraw only when assured that nursing care is available to the patient. Nurses who decide not to participate on the grounds of conscientious objection must communicate this decision in a timely and appropriate manner, in advance and in time for alternate arrangements to be made for patient care. Nurses should not be discriminated against by employers for exercising a conscience based refusal.
However, we must take care to balance health care professionals’ rights to exercise their conscience with patients’ rights to access a full range of health care services. Discrimination in health care settings remains a grave and widespread problem for many vulnerable populations and contributes to a wide range of health disparities. All patients deserve universal access to high quality care and we must guard against erosion of any civil rights protections in health care that would lead to denied or delayed care.”
The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the premier organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.6 million registered nurses. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting a safe and ethical work environment, bolstering the health and wellness of nurses, and advocating on health care issues that affect nurses and the public. ANA is at the forefront of improving the quality of health care for all. For more information, visit www.nursingworld.org.

Moore Norman Technology Center seeking PRACTICAL NURSING INSTRUCTORPrimary purposes are to instruct classes/labs and supervise students in the clinical setting. Education: Bachelor’s Degree (BSN) with a willingness to pursue a Master’s degree within the first year of employment is required. Credentials: A valid license to practice as a RN in the State of OK. Acceptable Oklahoma Driver’s License and acceptable driving record. Additional certifications may be required for special program area. Supports Moore Norman’s mission, vision and core values through educating, motivating, inspiring, and supporting students. Please visit www.mntc.edu for complete job description, requirements, & benefits details. Applications accepted at the HR Dept, located at 4701 12th Avenue NW, Norman, OK 73069, Room A204. You may also apply on-line at www.mntc.edu, or fax your application to 405-217- 8271.

Q. I am really at a loss to understand my husband (soon to be ex-husband). I have been telling him for MANY months that I was unhappy and wanted us to go to a marriage counselor. He finally gave in but here’s what happened.
–Naomi

A. I have told Terry on several occasions (more than I can count) that I felt lonely and wanted us to spend more quality time together. Sometimes I cried, probably not the best reaction because Terry really shuts down then. But I get so frustrated I don’t know what to do.
I never ever thought about cheating on him. I had a few occasions when a man would flirt and definitely let me know he was interested but I really loved my husband, it was not an option.
Terry would not go to counseling. He always had a reason why he was not interested. I went by myself which helped me but we couldn’t really address certain issues without Terry being present.
This part of my story sounds unbelievable but it really happened. One day I was grocery shopping and I stopped to read some food labels, so did another person, a man. We stood there discussing food and how complicated eating healthy can be. He asked me if I wanted to get coffee and I said yes. So fast forward…………….. Yes I had an affair that turned into love. I had already thought about divorce but now it was definite. I did not think Terry would disagree since he showed very little interest in me.
But I was wrong. When he learned I had found someone I wanted to be with he completely freaked. Told me to end it. I was really stunned that he got so upset.
I did end the affair. It made me very sad. Now Terry was ready to go to counseling…….too little to late. So we went to counseling. All Terry could focus on was my affair. The therapist tried to get us to look at what was going on in our marriage before the affair. I reminded Terry of all the times I had tried to get him to talk to me, actually begging him to talk to me. He agreed that I had “mentioned it.”
I was not able to continue in my marriage, too much had happened. I am not with the man I had the affair with either. I am with me right now. I am trying to learn how I could have done things differently. But also I realize that I tried really hard to communicate my thoughts and feelings but I was shut out. You can only try so many times until you just burn out.
So I guess the moral of my story is……….husbands and wives please listen to each other and care enough to make changes before burn out is irreversible.

A Great Place to Work ~Join Our TEAM Today$3,000 SIGN ON BONUS FOR FULL-TIME POSITIONWe are hiring RNs forMedical-Surgical – RNsEmergency – RNsApplicants should apply atwww.alliancehealthseminole.com

Winter drives most of us indoors to escape the cold. But while cozying up inside is great for staying warm, it may leave us short in another important area: vitamin D.
Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is essential for strengthening bones, proper cell growth and bolstering the immune system.
“Sunlight is the key to producing this vitamin, which happens when our skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays,” said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “That’s fine in the summer, when we’re spending a lot of time outdoors. But when temperatures drop and we head inside, it’s important to find new sources of vitamin D.”
Unfortunately, not a lot of foods naturally contain vitamin D. As a result, it’s added to foods like milk, orange juice and breakfast cereals. Vitamin D supplements are also available.
“Other vitamins and minerals are usually consumed in appropriate levels by eating a sensible, balanced diet,” said Prescott. “But with most people, this isn’t the case with vitamin D.”
Prescott recommends that all adults consider a vitamin D supplement. “It’s especially important for women and all older people,” he said. Vitamin D is critical to bone health, and a deficiency can predispose these groups to osteoporosis and other related bone-health problems.
Bone issues, though, are not the only concern. Vitamin D deficiency is also being studied for its links to diabetes, cancer, hypertension and autoimmune disorders.
What makes vitamin D deficiency so dangerous, said Prescott, is that most people don’t recognize the problem until it’s too late.
“It’ll sneak up on you. There are no obvious symptoms. Things like broken bones wouldn’t occur until an advanced stage,” he said. “Obviously, that’s not something you want to happen.”
As is so often the case, said Prescott, an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure. “Vitamin D supplements are safe and inexpensive. And they can protect you from a multitude of problems down the road.”

GIFTED Healthcare has per diem opportunities at a wide range of facilities across Oklahoma!We are NURSE-owned and NURSE-centric, come find out what makes the GIFTED difference.REGISTERED NURSE· Med Surg· ICULICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE· Corrections· Med Surg· ClinicCall our Oklahoma City Office at (405) 943-7900!Visit our website for more info:Gifted Healthcaregiftedhealthcare.com

People with cancer face an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), blood clots that occur in deep veins like the legs or that travel through the blood stream and get lodged in the small blood vessels in the lungs. Under current guidelines, cancer patients who develop VTE are prescribed low-molecular-weight heparin, an anticoagulant that must be injected under the skin daily for several months. While effective, this regimen can be expensive and often burdensome for patients, leading many to prematurely discontinue treatment.
Results from the first large randomized controlled trial comparing this standard blood-thinning treatment with newer anticoagulants, DOACs, suggest the DOAC known as edoxaban — taken as a daily pill — work as well as low-molecular-weight heparin and could, therefore, offer an alternative and potentially more palatable treatment strategy, according to researchers.
Roughly one out of five people with cancer develop VTE, which can cause pain and swelling when clots occur in deep veins (known as deep vein thrombosis) and breathing problems, chest pain and even death if they move into the lungs (known as pulmonary embolism,). Anticoagulants prevent the growth of existing clots and prevent others from forming, but these drugs also elevate the risk of bleeding. Doctors must therefore balance the risks of recurrent clots against the risks of bleeding when treating VTE.
This study enrolled 1,050 individuals with cancer being treated for VTE at 114 centers in 13 countries. Patients represented a wide range of cancer types and chemotherapy regimens; about 10 percent had blood cancers and the rest had solid tumors. Half were randomly assigned to receive low-molecular-weight heparin (dalteparin) and half were assigned to receive edoxaban. This treatment continued for up to 12 months. All patients were followed up for 12 months or until study closure (minimum 9 months).
The study was designed to assess two key factors. First, it evaluated whether edoxaban is at least as good as dalteparin with respect to rates of recurrent clots and bleeding, the two main risks associated with treating VTE. Second, it was the first study to measure the benefits of continuing treatment with either drug for more than six months after the initial VTE.
The results confirm that edoxaban is not inferior to dalteparin with respect to composite rates of recurrent clots and bleeding, the trial’s primary endpoint, which occurred in 12.8 percent of those receiving edoxaban and 13.5 percent of those receiving dalteparin. Although edoxaban was associated with a slightly higher rate of major bleeding, this was balanced by a slightly lower rate of recurrent VTE. Analyses of secondary outcomes and subgroups revealed that the two drugs were identical in the rates of the most severe category of major bleeding, and that bleeding was most common in the upper gastrointestinal tract and in patients with gastrointestinal cancers.
“For the vast majority of patients with cancer-associated VTE, treatment with oral edoxaban can replace the injectable dalteparin,” said lead study author Gary E. Raskob, PhD, dean and regents professor of the University of Oklahoma College of Public Health. “Preventing VTE recurrence and major bleeding can allow the oncologist to really focus on the patient’s cancer treatment.”
Raskob added that the results do not necessarily apply to all DOACs because some act through different mechanisms or are metabolized differently than edoxaban. Further studies could elucidate which DOACs might work best in the context of different chemotherapy regimens and also illuminate optimal treatment regimens for those with gastrointestinal cancers, he said.
This study was supported by Daiichi Sankyo. Gary E. Raskob, PhD, University of Oklahoma College of Public Health, presented this study during the Late Breaking Abstracts session today, Tuesday December 12, to worldwide hematology experts gathered at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta for the 59th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hematology.

Changing Lives for the better, together.It is what we do. And, it is who we are. Join us!At Hillcrest, our goal is to Change Lives for the better, together. Hillcrest Hospital South provides state-of-the-art technology in an easy-to-navigate community setting. Our 180-bed facility offers a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, including maternity, cardiology, emergency, orthopedics and surgery. Hillcrest Hospital South is committed to evidence-based medicine and our results speak for themselves.HILLCREST IS CURRENTLY HIRING NURSES!· Critical Care (Float Pool positions available with Extra Pay Differential)· Full Time Med Surg (Float Pool positions available with Extra Pay Differential)· Full Time OR· Full Time ER· Full Time ICU· Full Time SDUHillcrest South offers:• Sign-On Bonuses For Experienced & New RNs• A Competitive Compensation Package• Excellent Benefits• Friendly & Collaborative Environment• Opportunities For Advancement• Tuition ReimbursementApplicants should apply at: www.HillcrestHospitalSouthJobs.comor call HR at 918-294-4865 if you have any questions.Hillcrest Hospital South8801 S. 101st East Ave.Tulsa, OK 74133

Don’t miss the chance to apply for the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s 2018 Sir Alexander Fleming Scholar Program. The deadline for the annual summer program is Feb.1.
High school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply for the program. Applicants must be Oklahoma residents at the time of high school graduation and at least 16 years old to qualify.
Those selected will spend eight weeks in a real laboratory working with world-class scientists and physicians. Students will also have access to the newest technology and will attend lectures by some of the world’s top scientists.
The program is named after Sir Alexander Fleming, who won the Nobel Prize for discovering penicillin. He also traveled to the U.S. to dedicate OMRF’s first building in 1949.
Since 1956, the Fleming Scholar Program has awarded more than 500 Oklahoma students this tremendous learning opportunity. OMRF Vice President of Research Rodger McEver, M.D., and Vice President of Clinical Affairs Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., both started their careers as Fleming Scholars.